This study examines the division of labor between primary caregivers and other (formal and informal) care providers of elderly and dementia care recipients. Its main focus is on showing how the allocation of care activities among care providers is affected by the sheer quantity of care provided (measured in terms of frequency of care activities across 25 care tasks). Results support the hypothesis that patterns of cooperation and specialization between the primary caregiver and other helpers are more strongly influenced by the frequency of care involvement than by any other social factors, including caregiver gender, employment, and living arrangements. Even when faced with high care demands, caregivers appear to be reluctant to give up control. Instead of specialization, the preferred pattern of cooperation is supplementation, with other helpers assisting in the same care tasks as the primary caregiver.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Allen, Susan M.1994. "Gender Differences in Spousal Caregiving and Unmet Need for Care."Journal of Gerontology49:S187-S195.
2.
Boaz, Rachel F.
and Charlotte F. Muller. 1992. "Paid Work and Unpaid Help by Caregivers of the Disabled and Frail Elders."Medical Care30:149-158.
3.
Brody, Elaine M.
, Morton H. Kleban, Pauline T. Johnson, Christine Hoffman, and Claire B. Schoonover. 1987. "Work Status and Parent Care: A Comparison of Four Groups of Women."The Gerontologist27:201-208.
4.
Chappell, Neena L.1985. "Social Support and the Receipt of Home Care Services."The Gerontologist25:47-54.
5.
Collins, Clare
. 1991. "Impact of Alzheimer's Disease on Family Caregivers" (National Institute of Mental Health Grant No. 1 RO1 MH41766). Unpublished raw data.
6.
Dunteman, George H.1989. Principal Components Analysis. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
7.
Dwyer, Jeffrey W.
and Karen Seccombe. 1992. 'Elder Care as Family Labor: The Influence of Gender and Family Position."Journal of Family Issues12:229-247.
8.
Enright, Robert B.1991. "Time Spent Caregiving and Help Received by Spouses and Adult Children of Brain-Impaired Adults."The Gerontologist31:375-383.
9.
Finley, Nancy J.1989. "Theories of Family Labor as Applied to Gender Differences in Caregiving for Elderly Parents."Journal of Marriage and the Family51:79-86.
10.
Friedland, Robert B.1990. Facing the Cost of Long-Term Care. Washington, DC: Employee Benefit Research Institute.
11.
Given, Charles W.
and Barbara A. Given. 1989. "Caregiver Responses to Managing Elderly Patients at Home" (National Institute on Aging Grant No. 1 RO1 AG06584). Unpublished raw data.
12.
Gold, Bela1981. "Changing Perspectives on Size, Scale, and Returns: An Interpretive Survey."Journal of Economic Literature19:5-33.
13.
Greene, Vernon L.1983. "Substitution between Formally and Informally Provided Care for Impaired Elderly in the Community."Medical Care23:609-619.
14.
Hanley, Ray H.
, Joshua M. Wiener, and K. M. Harris. 1991. "Will Paid Homecare Erode Informal Support?"Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law16:507-521.
15.
Harpine, Cynthia J.
, John M. McNeil, and Enrique J. Lamas. 1990. The Need for Personal Assistance with Everyday Activities: Recipients and Caregivers. Current Population Reports, Series P-70, No. 19, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
16.
Horowitz, Amy
. 1985a. "Family Caregiving to the Frail Elderly." Pp. 194-246 in Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, vol. 5, edited by M. P. Lawton and G. Maddox. New York: Springer.
17.
Horowitz, Amy
. 1985b. "Sons and Daughters as Caregivers to Older Parents: Differences in Role Performance and Consequences."The Gerontologist6:612-617.
18.
Kane, Robert A.
and Rosalind L. Kane. 1987. Long-Term Care: Principles, Programs, and Policies. New York: Springer.
19.
Mancini, Jay A.
and Rosemary Blieszner. 1989. "Aging Parents and Adult Children: Research Themes in Intergenerational Relations."Journal of Marriage and the Family51:275-290.
20.
Matthews, Sarah H.1987. "Provision of Care to Old Parents."Research on Aging9:45-60.
21.
McKinlay, John B.
and Sharon L. Tennstadt. 1986. "Social Support Networks and the Care of Frail Elderly." Final Report to the National Institute on Aging, Grant #AG03869. Boston: Boston University.
22.
Miller, Baila
and Lynda Cafasso. 1992. "Gender Differences in Caregiving: Fact or Artifact?"The Gerontologist32:498-507.
23.
Montgomery, Rhonda J. V.
and Yoshinori Kamo. 1989. "Parent Care by Sons and Daughters." Pp. 213-227 in Aging Parents and Adult Children, edited by J. A. Mancini. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
24.
Neter, John
, William Wasserman, and Michael H. Kutner. 1985. Applied Linear Statistical Models. 2nd ed.Homewood, IL: R. D. Irwin.
25.
Noelker, Linda S.
and David M. Bass. 1989. "Home Care for Elderly Persons: Linkages between Formal and Informal Caregivers."Journal of Gerontology44:S63-S70.
26.
O'Bryant, Shirley L.1985. "Neighbors' Support of Older Widows Who Live Alone in Their Own Homes."The Gerontologist25:305-310.
27.
Penning, Margaret J.1990. "Receipt of Assistance by Elderly People: Hierarchical Selection and Task Specificity."The Gerontologist30:220-227.
28.
Pruchno, Rachel A.
and Nancy L. Resch. 1989. "Husbands and Wives as Care-Givers."The Gerontologist29:159-165.
29.
Rosenthal, Carolyn J.1985. "Kin Keeping in the Familial Division of Labor."Journal of Marriage and the Family47:965-974.
30.
Scott, Jean P.
and Karen A. Roberto. 1985. "Use of Informal and Formal Support Networks by Rural Elderly Poor."The Gerontologist25:624-630.
31.
Stoller, Eleanor P.1983. "Parental Caregiving by Adult Children."Journal of Marriage and the Family45:851-858
32.
Stoller, Eleanor P..1990. "Males as Helpers: The Role of Sons, Relatives and Friends."The Gerontologist30:228-235.
33.
Stoller, Eleanor P.
and Stephen J. Cutler. 1992. "The Impact of Gender on Configurations of Care among Married Elderly Couples."Research on Aging14:313-330.
34.
Stommel, Manfred
, Clare E. Collins, and Barbara A. Given. 1994. "The Costs of Family Contributions to the Care of Persons with Dementia."The Gerontologist34:199-205.
35.
Stone, Robyn I.
, Gail L. Cafferata, and Judith Sangl. 1987. "Caregivers of the Frail Elderly: A National Profile."The Gerontologist27:616-626.
36.
Stone, Robyn I.
and Pamela F. Short. 1990. "The Competing Demands of Employment and Informal Caregiving to Disabled Elders."Medical Care28:513-524.
37.
Tennstadt, Sharon L.
, John B. McKinlay, and Lisa M. Sullivan. 1989. "Informal Care for Frail Elders: The Role of Secondary Caregivers."The Gerontologist29:677-683.
38.
Wan, Thomas T.1987. "Functionally Disabled Elderly: Health Status, Social Support, and Use of Health Services."Research on Aging9:61-78.
39.
Warner, Rebecca L.1986. "Alternative Strategies for Measuring Household Division of Labor."Journal of Family Issues"7(2):179-195.
40.
Wolinsky, Frederic D.
and Connie L. Arnold. 1988. "A Different Perspective on Health and Health Services Utilization." Pp. 71-101 in Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, vol. 9, edited by George L. Maddox and M. Powell Lawton. New York: Springer.
